(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and device to separate enriched vascular adipose tissue from mammalian fat. In one example of the application, the tissue may be derived from liposuctioned adipose tissue.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Adipocytes are the cells that primarily compose adipose tissue, specialized in storing energy as fat. There are two types of adipose tissue, white adipose tissue (WAT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT), which are also known as white fat and brown fat, respectively, and comprise two types of fat cells.
In histology, adipose tissue or body fat or just fat is loose connective tissue composed of adipocytes. Adipose tissue is derived from lipoblasts. Its main role is to store energy in the form of fat, although it also cushions and insulates the body. Obesity or being overweight in humans and most animals does not depend on body weight but on the amount of body fat. Adipose tissue also serves as an important endocrine organ by producing hormones such as leptin, resistin, and the cytokine TNFα. The formation of adipose tissue appears to be controlled by the adipose gene. Adipose tissue was first identified by the Swiss naturalist Conrad Gessner in 1551.
Liposuction, also known as lipoplasty (“fat modeling”), liposculpture suction lipectomy or simply lipo (“suction-assisted fat removal”) is a cosmetic surgery operation that removes fat from many different sites on the human body. Areas affected can range from the abdomen, thighs, buttocks, to the neck, backs of the arms and elsewhere.
Auto lipo-transfer is removing fat by liposuction processing it and transferring it back into the original host for purposes of primarily aesthetic and cosmetic enhancement, or skin/tissue/wound/scar defect correction or regeneration.
Autologous stem cell transplantation is a procedure in which stem cells are removed, and/or processed, and/or stored, and later given back to the same person.
Growth medium or culture medium is a liquid or gel designed to support the growth of microorganisms or cells, or small plants like the moss Physcomitrella patens. There are different types of media for growing different types of cells.
There are two major types of growth media: those used for cell culture, which use specific cell types derived from plants or animals, and microbiological culture, which are used for growing microorganisms, such as bacteria or yeast. The most common growth media for microorganisms are nutrient broths and agar plates; specialized media are sometimes required for microorganism and cell culture growth. Some organisms, termed fastidious organisms, require specialized environments due to complex nutritional requirements. Viruses, for example, are obligate intracellular parasites and require a growth medium composed of living cells.
Adipose derived stem cells (ADSC) have been found to exhibit pleuripotential and regenerative capabilities with the promise of much therapeutic potential. However, more recent studies suggest that cells removed from contact with their native matrix can exhibit neoplastic behavior or abnormal differentiation. Additionally, isolated ADSC in the animal model clearly demonstrates the loss of cell adhesion and increased metastatic capability despite use of many different matrices to prevent movement of ADSC from the original injection site. A safe alternative to direct removal and isolation of ADSC, therefore, is both necessary and critical.
The anatomic location of ADSC is within the perivascular space of fat. Therefore, fractions of fat rich in microvasculature will have a higher concentration of ADSC. The process of isolating ADSC by direct enzyme degradation or mechanical separation has been proposed by others and presents a labor intensive method of ADSC procurement. An example of isolating ADSC from lipoaspirate fat is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,777,231. However, this method of separating the ADSC from native matrix and tissue is not only inconvenient, time consuming and expensive, it is also potentially dangerous in that physically detached cells may exhibit tumor like characteristics when heavily manipulated during separation. Moreover the equipment utilized for the method detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,777,231 is prohibitively expensive to purchase and maintain. For this reason an alternative method for separating adipose rich fractions of adipose tissue from lipoaspirate without harsh chemical or enzymatic treatment or potentially dangerous cellular labeling is needed.
Development of an alternative method which can separate adipose rich fractions of adipose tissue from lipoaspirate without harsh chemical or enzymatic treatment or potentially dangerous cellular labeling represents a great improvement in the field of liposuction and satisfies a long felt need of the medical profession.